


Accolades and Ohana Part One

by daffodil729



Series: Accolades and Ohana [1]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Hurt Steve McGarrett, Hurt/Comfort, SEAL Steve McGarrett, SEALs, Sick Steve McGarrett
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 14:37:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17225891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daffodil729/pseuds/daffodil729
Summary: After a mission is declassified, Steve receives a medal for valor.  The ceremony brings together his former SEAL team and the Five-0 ohana, resulting in lots of stories and a deeper understanding of the man who means so much to all of them.  In a turn of events no one expected, Steve is reactivated and his team moves to take down a dangerous drug lord who had evaded them years earlier.  The events that follow strengthen both the SEAL team and Five-0 and new relationships are formed.





	Accolades and Ohana Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own or claim a right to Hawaii Five-0 or any recognizable characters or catch phrases. I also do not claim to have an in-depth knowledge of the Navy or its proceedings. This is purely a work of fiction.

Danny Williams watched the Navy ensign enter the Five-0 office. The young man hesitated as if he wasn't sure where to go from there. Danny stepped out of his office.

"Hey, there," he said with a smile. "Can I help you with something?"

"Uh, yes, sir," the man said. "My name is Ensign Thomas Lewis. I'm looking for Commander Steven McGarrett." He held an official-looking envelope in his hands.

"He's out of the office but should be back soon. Is there anything I can help you with? I'd be happy to pass that on to him if you'd like."

Ensign Lewis gave a tight-lipped smile. "No, sir, but thank you. I have strict orders to deliver this straight to the commander."

"I think this is something important," Junior said quietly to Lou as they watched from across the room. "Look at the Naval Seal and the way his name is in calligraphy."

"Huh," Lou commented. "I wonder what this is all about."

Steve breezed into the Five-0 Headquarters a few minutes later. Continuing to read a report as he opened the door, he didn't look up to see the group gathered before him until he was already well into the office.

"Commander McGarrett, sir," Ensign Lewis stood at attention. Even though Steve was wearing civilian clothes, he immediately slipped into what Danny regularly referred to as "Commander mode." His body language changed right away, and it was easy to see the respect he commanded. He surveyed Ensign Lewis as the man saluted him.

"At ease, Ensign," Steve said easily. He frowned slightly, not mincing words. "What can I help you with?"

"I was sent to deliver this, sir," Ensign Lewis said, handing Steve the official-looking envelope. After Steve took it, Ensign Lewis continued to stand in the lobby. "I was also informed I should stay to make sure you open it, sir," he said a bit nervously. "And to tell you I would not leave until you had read the letter and given a response in return."

"And who gave you those orders, Ensign Lewis?"

"The Secretary of the Navy, sir."

Junior drew in a deep breath, impressed. Steve, on the other hand, snorted.

"Jack's pulling rank then?" Steve asked, a smile playing on his lips.

"It would seem so, sir."

Steve opened the letter and read it, frowning as he did. "No."

Ensign Lewis looked confused. "Sir?"

"He wanted a response. 'No' is my response."

"He thought you would say that, sir, so I have another message from him as well." Ensign Lewis looked even more nervous. He cleared his throat. "He said, and I quote, 'If he says no, tell that stubborn son of a bitch that he knows damn well he deserves it, and he'll accept it and be happy about it or there'll be hell to pay.'"

Steve narrowed his eyes.

Ensign Lewis quickly added, "He also said that I should expect you to have me court marshalled for speaking to you like that, sir, but that he would clear things up when he got here this weekend. He said nobody was ever worse off for spending a few days in the brig. Builds character, he said, sir." Ensign Lewis was doing his best to look unafraid.

Steve looked at him sternly for a moment, then burst into laughter and shook his head. "Fine. Please relate that this is not needed, that I was only doing my job, but I'll accept the damn medal at his stupid ceremony if he insists. I'd hate to embarrass his ass, given how important he thinks he is. Do you need to write that down? I expect it to be word-for-word."

Ensign Lewis grinned. "No, sir, I think I can remember that. He also said he and Mrs. North will arrive on Sunday at 1500 hours for a week of island fun at your discretion. He expects a tour of Five-0, dinner from the shrimp place you took him last time, and to meet Callie. Not necessarily in that order."

Steve raised an eyebrow. "Did you have to memorize all this mess?"

"Yes, sir. I had to repeat it back to him verbatim over the phone after I was given the assignment. I believe I'm being used as part of an attempt at humor, sir."

"You got it in one, Ensign."

After Ensign Lewis walked out, Steve retreated to his office without saying a word to his team. The others stood curiously. Finally, Junior slowly picked up the letter and read it.

"Holy shit," Junior breathed. "He's being awarded the Navy Cross for valor in action during an op. The op was classified until recently, which is why it has taken so long for the award recommendation to become public knowledge."

"What does that mean?" Tani asked.

"It means our boss is a hero and is going to have the second-highest award in the armed services to show for it."

"Wow," Lou said. "When's the ceremony?"

"Two weeks. Better break out your dress uniforms, guys. This is major, major stuff."

 

 

Danny stood quietly and watched his partner from outside his office. Steve was sitting at his desk, staring straight ahead and lost in thought. Steve was a decorated officer; Danny knew that. And soon, Steve would add another honor and medal to an already impressive list. But standing there, watching a man who seemed so forlorn, he wondered what all he didn't know about his partner's past.

"Hey, babe," Danny said as he walked into Steve's office. He'd given the man enough time. It was time to talk now. "So Junior says this is a really big deal?"

Steve rubbed his face. He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "Yeah. It is. And I'm honored, I really am, but it's just not necessary, you know? I only did what anyone else would do in that situation."

"Somehow I doubt that, babe. They don't just give these things away for nothing, you know."

Steve shrugged. "I did my job, Danno. That's all. They were my team, my responsibility, so, yeah, I did everything I could to get them back home. The mission went all to hell for a while, but we ended up being successful."

"All in a day's work, huh?"

"Something like that," Steve smiled tightly, then huffed again. "Anyway, it's not my choice to receive the medal. Jack would kill me if I denied it."

"So who is this Jack?"

"Jack North was my commanding officer when I first came out of SEAL training. Since then, he's come up the ranks and now he's SecNav."

"Wow."

"Yeah. He's done really well. He's a great guy; you'll like him. He took me under his wing when I joined his team. His only child had passed just before—Aaron was on active duty-and I think I filled a void for him. He filled a pretty big void for me, too. You know how the situation was with my family."

Danny nodded, beginning to understand the relationship a bit better. "Y'all stayed in touch?"

"Oh yeah," Steve nodded. "He came out the last time we had a couple weeks off. You were in Jersey though, so you missed meeting him. I've been out to DC a good bit too, and we keep in touch through texts and calls and stuff. His wife's great, too. They're just special people, Danno. They definitely didn't deserve the hand they were dealt, as far as Isaac goes, but they're two of the best people you'll ever meet."

"Sounds like someone else I know."

Steve called the team together a few days later. "Okay. You know about the ceremony coming up." He averted his eyes for a moment, then raised his head to continue addressing his team, making eye contact with each of them. "Each of you will be getting an invitation in the next few days for you and your family, or a guest. As much as I don't think this is necessary, the Navy Cross isn't awarded often and so the media coverage is going to be pretty heavy and from what I've heard expected attendance is already a bit out of hand and…," he sighed heavily, "I'd just really like to have you guys there. Please don't feel obligated—"

"Sir," Junior interrupted. "To be invited is an honor, not an obligation. Thank you, sir."

"Brown noser," Lou muttered with a grin.

"Nah," Tani said. "It's just his huge case of hero worship. He totally doesn't expect a thing in return."

Junior rolled his eyes at the two of them. "I'm serious. This is a huge award. They don't come around often, and to be _invited?_ The likelihood of that happening in a lifetime is slim to none."

"I agree," Jerry interjected, feeling like he needed to add something to the conversation.

"Listen. I can go ahead and tell you we'll be there," Danny said. "All kidding aside, we know this is important, babe. We wouldn't miss it for the world." The rest of the team nodded along with him. "Did you invite Chin and Kono too?"

"I did. They're coming. There will be a reception immediately after, then another party that night for a much smaller number of people. You're invited to both of those too." Steve grimaced. "It's going to be an all day affair. Don't feel like you have to do it all."

"Just like it should be," Danny said, bumping Steve's shoulder. "It's a big award, babe. We'll be there for everything."

Steve nodded. "Thank you," he said quietly, looking at each of his team members.

Tani recognized the need for a change of topic and quickly thought of a way to lighten the mood.

"Will there be dancing?" she asked teasingly.

"You don't think I can dance?" Steve questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"Oh, no, I'm sure _you_ can." She grinned slyly. "I just can't wait to see _them._ " She motioned toward the other four men.

 

 

 

 

"Steven McGarrett, as I live and breathe!"

The plump gray haired woman hurried toward Steve in the airport terminal. "You are a sight for sore eyes, honey!" she exclaimed, hugging him tight.

He hugged her back, kissed her cheek, and dropped a purple lei over her head. "Aloha. It's so good to see you."

"Oh, goodness, you too!" She hugged him again. "I'm so glad you're receiving this award. You certainly deserve it, sweetheart."

"Aw, I don't know about that. But I am glad to see you, and if that's what it takes to get you to visit Hawaii, then I guess it's worth it, right?" He grinned. "Where's Jack?"

"Oh, I left him to get the bags. Told him I couldn't wait another second to see you."

Steve shook his head at Sally North. He was thankful to have these two people in his life, and to have had them as mentors and stand-in parents for so long. He had leaned on their guidance and wisdom for a long time now, and hoped he would continue to have the opportunity to do so long into the future.

Jack came through the terminal just then with a luggage cart and enough bags for a month.

"Oh, wow…" Steve said.

"Lots of things can be said about Sally North, but no one can ever call her unprepared for a social event while on vacation." He grinned at Steve before embracing the taller man warmly. "Good to see you, son."

"Good to see you too. You had a good flight?"

"We did. It's always good to fly commercial once in a while."

"What he means," Sally clarified, "is that if he lets me act like a normal person every once in a while I don't fuss so much when he tells me we are going to get to our vacation destination by flying in the belly of a C130." She rolled her eyes.

Steve laughed.

"What are our plans for tonight?" Sally asked, looping her arm through Steve's as they strolled through the airport. Jack trailed behind them, pushing the huge cart of luggage.

"That depends on the two of you," Steve said. "If you aren't too tired, we can do dinner at my house with my team and Callie. That's the tentative plan. If you're tired, though, and that's completely understandable, we can have dinner just the three of us and then head to bed early."

"I think dinner with your team sounds lovely, Steven," Sally said. "We are on vacation in Hawaii. There is no time for rest!"

"Ma'am, it is a pleasure to meet you," Lou Grover said, shaking Sally's hand later that evening.

"Likewise, Captain," Sally said with a smile. "You work with my Steven?"

"Yes, ma'am. He was a thorn in my side when I first met him, to be honest."

"Surely not! Not my boy!" She said in mock indignation. "I don't believe it for a second. I have never known Steven to be anything but easy to get along with."

She and Lou shared a laugh. "Stubborn and headstrong though he is, you'll never meet a better man," she said softly to the group. "He brought back my Isaac, you know."

Jack patted her leg. "That he did. We'll never be able to repay him for that. He's one of the best."

"He really is," Danny agreed, while the rest of the team nodded.

The group sat around the lanai after dinner: Steve, Callie, Jack, Sally, Danny, Grace, Lou, Tani, Junior, Jerry and Naelani. Beau played nearby, furiously chasing a butterfly that just evaded his reach.

"What are your plans this week, sir?" Junior asked. He was still in shock that he'd had dinner with the Secretary of the Navy.

"Son, I'm just Jack right now, okay?" he smiled at Junior. "You can calm down."

"Sorry, si—Jack."

"That's better. Tomorrow I think I'm going to work with your boss. I hear Five-0 is something to see."

"It is," Junior confirmed.

"Then the rest of the week, we'll be mostly sightseeing, although I do have a couple of Naval things to attend to. Namely the fact that the recipient of the upcoming Navy Cross has yet to return the phone call of the very nice PR lady at Pearl to let her know if he'll be wearing dress whites or dress blues. Until he does, she can't tell the rest of the officers what to wear, and everybody's getting all antsy. Which may be said recipient's goal in the first place." He raised his eyebrows at Steve. "He has been known to do such things in the past."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Steve said, a complete look of innocence on his face.

"I know which uniform I prefer," Sally said with a smile.

"We know," Jack and Steve answered in unison, rolling their eyes.

"You just have such good coloring for the dress whites, Steven. And the whites are so sharp."

"The dress whites are nice," Callie agreed.

"There's not much better than a sailor in white," Tani said. "The Navy has always had the best uniforms."

"Uncle Steve's dress whites are my favorite too," Grace said, nodding along with Sally. "That's what you should wear."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "Since when do you get a vote?" he teased. "Or you, for that matter?" he looked at Tani.

"Since they agree with us, obviously," Sally said. Callie nodded. "So, decision made? I'll call PR at Pearl in the morning. You don't have to do a thing." She patted his knee as she stood up.

"What just happened?" Steve asked as the ladies left the table.

"Women," Jack said. "Women just happened."

Steve and the team were standing at the tech table looking at the screen when voices came from behind them.

"Would you look at that, boys. His body language hasn't changed a bit. How many times have we seen that stance as he gave us orders—hands on hips, shoulders back. I bet I know exactly what his face looks like just now," Scott Jackson commented to the other four men with him.

"Always has to be _commanding_ something," Eric Little said. "So damn _bossy._ "

"This office sure beats the hell out of a tent in the desert though," Aaron Black said, whistling as he looked around the Five-0 headquarters. "Not a speck of dirt in sight. I bet that makes him happy."

Steve, hearing the familiar voices, stopped talking and turned. He broke into a huge grin. "What are you guys doing here?"

The members of Five-0 didn't miss the perfect salutes the men gave Steve before exchanging hugs and slaps on the back with him.

"Funny you should ask," Greg Allen said. "It seems that a certain commander that we all served under is being awarded the Navy Cross for valor in combat, but forgot to call us. What's that all about?"

Steve shook his head. "It's not…"

"YES, IT IS!" the five men chorused.

"It is a big deal, Smooth Dog," Scott said. "They don't just give these away for nothing. And—did you forget?—we were there. We know exactly what went down. So, yes, it is a big deal and it's important and it's well deserved. And we're here to show our support at the ceremony. And then we're here to celebrate. Big time." The others grinned and nodded in agreement.

"When I got word it was finally happening, I called up Jack, who put me in touch with Callie. And, now, here we are…all yours for the next ten days," Jay Watson told him. "We weren't going to miss this, Commander. Not a chance."

Steve shook his head. "I can't believe it," he said, grinning. "Come on in and meet my team."

Steve led the group further into the Five-0 office and began introductions. After smiles and handshakes were exchanged, everyone grabbed chairs and sat around the common area.

"Hey, wanna know a secret?" Jay asked conspiratorially. "I'm giving the introductory speech on Saturday!"

The group was silent. "No," Steve said slowly. "Jack said—"

"Nope," Jay grinned. "Jack said he was doing the _presenting of the award_. _I_ , Commander, sir, will be giving the introductory speech."

"No," Steve said. "Hell no."

"I second that sentiment," Scott said. "No way in hell someone should give you a microphone."

"It's true, boys," Jay said proudly. "Mic's all mine. I don't even have a time limit."

"Shit," Steve said.

"I second _that_ sentiment," Aaron said.

The group of people gathered at Steve's for dinner that night was even bigger than the night before. The SEALs brought with them copious amounts of alcohol and a devil-may-care attitude, and, suddenly, dinner turned into a party. Steve, Jack, and Sally were familiar with this lifestyle and fell into it easily. Danny was surprised how much more relaxed and carefree Steve seemed around this group. He didn't know why. Steve seemed closer to them in some ways, and that bothered him a bit. As another round of shots was poured, Jay said, "Hey, has Smooth Dog even told you why he's getting this award?"

Callie was the only one he'd been specific with. Everyone else he'd given a very basic, generic version of the truth.

"Thought not," he drawled in his Texas accent. "Jackie, why's he so damn modest?"

"Can't say," Jack replied. "But you call me Jackie again and it will be the last time you walk."

Jay immediately sobered some. "Yes, sir," he cleared his throat while the other SEALs laughed at his discomfort. "I stepped on a trip wire. He traded places with me; shifted weight so we didn't set it off. Sent us to the exfil site. A group of insurgents came along. He convinced them to disarm the wire, then he killed all seven of them single handedly and with no weapon, and saved over a hundred boys ages twelve and under in the process. That, friends, is what valor in combat looks like."

Danny caught Steve's eye.

_Seven?_ he mouthed. Steve shrugged uncomfortably.

This was what had been hard for him for years—this line he walked between two different lives. The people he spent his life with now, his team, his _ohana,_ really had no idea what he was capable of. They didn't know the things he had done. Sure, it had been done for God and country, for the greater good, but when you said some of those things aloud…he didn't sound like Gracie's Uncle Steve or the person who raised tons of money every year for the Widows and Orphans Fund or the guy who was so touched by having a stupid Christmas stocking at Danny's house or the man who painstakingly planned the most amazing proposal for Callie.

He sounded like someone to be feared. He sounded like a monster.

 

 

 

Callie awoke to the sound of Steve mumbling in Arabic. He was clearly in distress, caught somewhere deep in the clutches of a nightmare. Careful not to touch him, Callie called his name several times before he woke with a gasp, eyes wide and frantic.

She gave him a minute before she pressed on his arm. She didn't want to alarm him, but she needed to ground him; remind him of where he was, who he was with.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly, her voice calm and sure. Her insides were shaking, but he didn't need to know that.

"I need to wash my hands," he mumbled. "There's blood on my hands." He rubbed his palms together, smoothing them on the sheets and on his shirt.

Her heart broke. "Steve, it was a nightmare. There's no blood on your hands."

He looked at her, his eyes wide and unfocused. "Nightmare? No blood?"

"Nightmare," she confirmed. "You're fine. Everything's fine."

"Okay," he nodded. "Okay." She could tell he was trying to get his breathing back under control. Suddenly, he threw the covers back and rushed to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Callie leaned against the headboard, and rubbed at her face as she listened to the sound of him gagging pitifully.

She tapped on the bathroom door before opening it and stepping in. Steve was sitting on the floor, arms and head resting on one knee that drawn up to his chest. He looked up as she came in, gratefully taking the bottle of water she offered him and gave her an apologetic half-smile.

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

She sat down beside of him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Nothing to be sorry about, babe. We can't control our unconscious, and we can't control our body's reaction to it."

"It's just…" he trailed off.

She sat up, looking him in the eye. "Listen, Steve. You don't owe me, or anyone else, an explanation. You did what you had to do to make it home, and you saved a lot of innocent lives in the process. There's no problem with that. It's war. It is messy and ugly and not always black and white. You have a huge heart—that's your blessing and your curse, babe. Even after all you've seen, even with the job you do now, you still look for the best in people. Not many people could do that. Most would become cynical and bitter." She shook her head. "Don't doubt yourself, Steve. You've had to do hard things, but you've done them for the right reasons. I know it doesn't make it easier, but the world is a better place because of you and people like you. The rest of us sleep easy at night because of you and your hard sacrifice."

Steve nodded, eyes bright with unshed tears. "It's just hard to forget things sometimes," he whispered.

She pulled him closed, letting his head rest against her chest. She kissed the top of his head. "I know. It's because you're a good guy, Steve. A really good guy. Don't ever forget that."

It took some work, but Callie managed to convince Steve to skip his morning run and swim and sleep instead. She called Danny to let him know Steve would be a little late coming in. She knew they didn't have any open cases, and she was determined to let him sleep until he woke up on his own.

"Everything okay?" Danny asked.

"Yeah," Callie sighed. "He just had a lot on his mind and didn't sleep well. He's sleeping now, though."

"That's good." Danny knew how much his partner had struggled with sleep over the years. "I don't want all this to cause him to, ah, slip, you know."

"I understand, Danny," Callie said. "It's bound to bring up some things, but he'll be okay. We'll watch him."

"Yeah, we will."

"He's still sleeping?" Jack asked as Callie joined them on the lanai with coffee.

"He hasn't moved at all," Callie told him with a smile. She had told Jack and Sally about the nightmare earlier.

"Good," Sally said. "Did he have to take anything?"

"No."

Sally looked relieved. "That's good. I worry about him. There was a lot of good that came out of that mission, but it did a number on him, too."

"I have a special guest coming to the ceremony," Jack said. "I haven't told him." He smiled. "It's one of the kids, Callie. The oldest one from that day. He's coming here, and he has pictures and updates from every single child Steve saved that day. Not a single one chose to become an insurgent, Cal. Not a single one. They're teachers, doctors, students, fathers, farmers, pastors. Not soldiers."

Callie couldn't help but cry.

The Five-0 team walked into their leader's house to find a living room full of Navy SEALs and the Secretary of the Navy. Dress white jackets, medal boxes, medals, swords, ribbons, and an assortment of other things were scattered about.

"What's all this?" Lou asked.

"This," Scott swept his arm around the room, "is medal ceremony prep 101. Welcome. Grab yourself a ruler and join the party."

"Everything has to be straight?" Jerry asked.

"Everything has to be damn perfect, or else that guy won't let us out of the house," Aaron pointed his finger at Jack.

"That's right, boys," Jack grinned. "I trained your commander, therefore I am responsible for you. There will not be any crooked medals or scuffed shoes or missing swords," he gave a pointed look to Steve. "Or gloves."

"So why are you switching the ribbons out for the medals?" Danny asked.

"Medals have to be worn for official ceremonies," Steve answered, sliding another medal onto the medal bar.

"Why does Uncle Steve have more than you?" Charlie asked. He pointed at Jack. "He has a lot too."

"Well, you see, those two men are what you call _highly decorated officers_ ," Jay answered him with a smile. "You know how you decorate a Christmas tree?" Charlie nodded. "Well, the Navy decorated them because they did lots of special stuff. You only get these medals when you do really special things—they're like awards. See that one? That's because your Uncle Steve went to Afghanistan to fight against the bad guys. This one is because he's really good at shooting, he's what's called an expert rifleman."

"Cool," Charlie said.

"Yeah. Very cool," Jay answered him. "Now, keep in mind, the rest of us are kind of cool too. Just not as cool as him. Or the SecNav there."

"What's that one for?" Charlie pointed to the Purple Heart.

The living room got quiet. "Well, buddy, that one's really special. None of the rest of us have that one, not even the SecNav," Aaron explained quietly, watching Steve for a reaction, hoping he was on the right track. "Steve got hurt one day, Charlie," Aaron stopped and cleared his throat. "Really bad. But he made it. We made it." Aaron caught the eye of every man in the room. "We've always made it."

Steve gave a nod. "Hooyah, brothers."

"Hooyah!"

 

 

 

"Cars will be here in ten minutes," Jack yelled from the landing as he checked his watch. Callie came down the stairs then in a short, simple navy dress and matching heels. "Cal! You're a vision, sweetheart," he gave her a hug and kissed her cheek. "Where's your other half?"

"Would you calm down, Jack!" Steve yelled from upstairs. "No one is going to be late! And I can guaran-damn-tee you they're not going to start without us anyway!"

"Hi," Jay said to the Five-0 team with a winning smile as they entered the house to the sound of yelling. "Welcome to hell. We're so glad you could join us."

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Jay's being a bit dramatic."

"Dramatic? Steve's been snapping at everyone who even looks at him, Jack keeps yelling about how much time we have left, the damn dog chewed my shoe—"

"Don't talk about the damn dog!" Steve yelled from upstairs.

"—Scott is MIA, nobody likes dress uniforms, especially when they have to wear gloves, which we do today, and it sucks, Jack won't let anybody drive themselves because he thinks we'll go AWOL which means that Steve will end up puking—"

"I've already taken Dramamine. Not gonna puke," Steve yelled again.

"Fantastic," Jay threw his hands into the air. "That just means he's going to fall asleep and we're going to have to carry his Navy Cross-receiving ass out of there."

"Didn't mix it with Ambien this time," Steve said, jogging down the stairs, cover under his arm. "I should be good."

"Emphasis on should," Aaron said drily.

"Look at you, Commander," Danny said. "Very spiffy."

"He's right," Tani agreed. "You look good, boss."

"Thanks. You guys do, too." He sighed. "You can see straight through these pants. I hate dress whites."

"It's because your legs are too tan," Jack offered. "If you were pasty white like the rest of us, it wouldn't be as noticeable. You ready?"

"Yes, sir," Steve said.

"Let's go get us a Navy Cross," Scott said, clapping Steve on the back. "Then get drunk off our asses on the Navy's dime."

"Whining will not be tolerated tomorrow morning, boys," Sally said as she breezed by the group. "Nor will I hold anyone's head out of the toilet or be forced to create a sympathy-inducing cover story similar to the one I spun in response to an admiral's question about why his Silver Star recipient couldn't make it through breakfast and nearly threw up at the table he was sharing _with the President._ You are Navy SEALs. No one will end up with alcohol poisoning tonight. There will be no arguments, no physical fights, and no trouble of any kind. Am I clear, boys?"

"Yes, ma'am," the group chorused, having the decency to look sheepish.

"However," she countered. "In the event of an unforeseen circumstance, you know my number."

Renee laughed. "Oh, wow. It sounds like you have had your hands full a few times, Sally."

"You have no idea what those SEALs are capable of, my dear," Sally said. "No idea at all. Some of the smartest men you'll ever meet, individually, but you put them together as a group with a little down time, and all bets are off."

As the group headed to the waiting cars sent by the Navy, Lou simply could not let it go. "Which one of you nearly got sick with the President?"

"That'd be your boy there, Lou," Eric grinned and nodded toward Steve.

"It was not one of my finer moments," Steve grimaced.

"Ah, but it was one of your funnier ones," Greg said.

Sally smiled. "And it did earn me quite a nice amount of pocket change."

"How so?" Danny asked.

"Because they're all horrible people," Steve said with a roll of his eyes.

"Hey, not me," Jack said. "I wasn't involved in that at all."

"We placed bets on how long he'd last and which course it would be," Scott explained. "It was a two part bet based on a point system. Quite complicated for a group of very hungover sailors, mind you. And don't let Jack fool you—the only reason he didn't participate was because he was too busy being on edge to place his bet, because it wasn't a question of _if,_ it was a question of _when."_

Jack gave a slight shrug. "They may have me there, Steve."

"Of course they do."

"And Miss Sally won?" Lou asked.

"Time _and_ course," Sally said proudly. "Full points, the only one who swept the grid."

"Terrible people," Steve muttered.

"Don't listen to him," Jay said. "It was _hilarious."_

"So time and course?" Danny asked.

"9:45-9:50 was my window, and main course," Sally said. She chuckled at the memory. "He did okay through the receiving line, though he did blanch at the libations. At that point he was still swearing he was never drinking again. First course was fine—pastries and fruits and such. He didn't eat, but kept up his end of the conversation and politely picked at his food to give the impression of eating. Then came the poutine," She laughed at the memory. "The President kept trying to get him to try it, kept telling him what was in it. That was when the convulsive swallowing started. When the main dishes were served family-style and the one in front of Steve was something called a Pork Belly Omelet, that was it. He was done for."

"God, it was embarrassing," Steve said, shaking his head.

"At least you made it out of the ballroom," Scott said. "Could have been a lot worse than it was."

"But the President knew you were sick?" Tani asked.

"Oh, yeah," Greg answered for Steve. "The commander here couldn't suppress a full out _gag_ at the table. There was no doubt he was sick."

"It was awful," Steve confirmed. "So, so awful."

"And yet, so, so hilarious," Jay grinned. "So when we're recognized the next time for something, Steve is downright _praying_ that the President doesn't remember, right? It was a smaller number of people this time, we're standing around and talking before dinner, and the President leans over to Steve and says in his ear, "No omelets tonight, son. I promise," and grins like the cat that ate the canary."

The group erupted in laughter.

"Oh shut up," Steve said good-naturedly. "Let's go."

As the cars approached Pearl Harbor, Five-0 detected a change in the SEALs. The easy, teasing banter of the last few days stopped. Gloves were donned, faces fell into stoic masks, and there was a different feeling in the air. As they stepped out, tight smiles in place, they were all business. Jack and Steve, along with Sally and Callie, led the way, pausing when it was necessary. The PR department had been right-the media turnout was unreal, as was the attendance of the general public. While the citizens wouldn't be in the area of the actual ceremony, they would be able to watch it on large screens in different viewing areas around the harbor.

Along the way, the group grew in number. Kamekona and Flippa were waiting, dressed to the nines in suits and hats. Mary and Joanie were standing with Callie's parents, David and Caroline. Chin, Abby, and Sara were there, as well as Kono and Adam. Grace and Charlie had decided to ride with Samantha and Will. It seemed to Grace like Danno had wanted to stay with Uncle Steve, and Lou thought the members of Five-0 should remain together for the purpose of support and solidarity. He had talked with Steve enough about missions over the years to know that some were more tender spots than others. He wasn't exactly sure what this mission had entailed, but to be receiving the Navy Cross for valor, it had to have been major. The kids, young as they were, had grown up in police families--they got it, no questions asked.

Grace could see her uncle's face was tense. He was smiling, but the smile wasn't reaching his eyes anymore. This was the part of war that made her the most angry--it never left a person. She'd watched her uncle jump when he heard the sounds of a video game Will had brought over. Will saw it too--the way Steve flinched, tense, the stress on his face evident. Without saying anything to any of the adults, they'd thrown the game away that night. Will would never purchase another war game. She knew he'd lost men on missions, knew he'd lost friends. She knew he'd seen and done things she couldn't imagine, all so she'd never have to. She was thankful for him and all the men and women like him.

Grace dropped Charlie's hand, leaving him with Will, and went to Steve. Sure, Charlie loved Steve and Steve loved Charlie, but their relationship was not like the relationship she and Steve had. She hugged him tight.

"The dress whites are my favorite," she grinned. "You look good, Uncle Steve."

"The whites have always been your favorite." Steve gave a short laugh. "I've known that since your fourth grade career day when you insisted I wear them to speak to your class."

"And I've known since my fourth grade career day that I have you wrapped around my little finger. Even if you would only wear the working whites," she teased.

He laughed. "Isn't that the truth!"

She leaned back and looked at his eyes. "I love you, Uncle Steve."

"I love you too, Gracie." He hugged her again. "Listen. I don't know how much about the mission will be told today. I don't know what you'll hear about what I've done but-"

"I do," she interrupted him. "I know exactly what I'll hear. I'll hear that you've done hard things and had to make hard choices for the sake of our country and freedom. I'll hear that war is horrible and miserable, but there are some things worth fighting for and we should always stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves. I'll hear that even in the worst situations, people can still be good. I'll hear that you're a real-life hero, which won't surprise me at all, because I've known that for years--because you're _my_ hero, Uncle Steve. You always have been, and you always will be. That's what I'll hear."

"Gracie," he whispered, his voice rough with emotion. He kissed the top of her head. "Thank you. Thank you."

She glanced up at his eyes. They were wet, but light and untroubled.

She smiled.  Mission accomplished.

 

 


End file.
